"Wealthy Barber" to Speak in Support of Pet Trust Fund

February 05, 2013 - News Release

An author and TV personality will bring his entertaining “wealthy barber” alter ego to the University of Guelph in support of pets with cancer.

David Chilton, author of The Wealthy Barber, will speak at War Memorial Hall Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. Proceeds will go to the Pet Trust Fund of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) to support various initiatives, such as equipment, at the Mona Campbell Centre for Animal Cancer. During the event, Chilton will share his recipes for personal financial success.

Since 1989, he has sold nearly three million copies of his book, including two million in Canada. The fictitious title character gives his customers often-humorous advice on how to achieve financial independence.

A sequel, The Wealthy Barber Returns, reached the best-seller list just two months after being published in 2011. Chilton has also published the Looneyspoons cookbook series through Granet Publishing, which he founded with Looneyspoons sisters Janet and Greta Podleski.

Chilton started this season as a dragon on the CBC-TV show Dragons' Den, in which entrepreneurs seeking investment pitch their businesses to a panel. Now in its seventh season, it remains one of Canada’s top-rated shows.

The Mona Campbell Centre for Animal Cancer opened in September 2012. It offers investigational therapies and clinical trials using state-of-the-art technology, including a new linear accelerator whose radiation therapy targets cancer cells while limiting harm to healthy tissues. The centre also houses chemotherapy and oncology wards; a tumour tissue bank; examination, treatment and procedure rooms; and a family visiting area.

The Pet Trust Fund is a charitable fund in OVC that helps pets live longer, healthier lives by raising funds for learning, health care and other initiatives at the college. Recently, Pet Trust has raised more than $13 million to support OVC's animal cancer initiatives.